William m



{No Model.)

W. M. BLACK,

FENCE PQST.

No. 504,658. Patented Sept. 5, 1893,

32 2' 7 74 74 a: O {F WITNESSES: IN VE NTOI? $0. 27 Y B) ATTORNEYS,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM M. BLACK, OF URBANA, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO .1. M.

DOVEL, OF SAME PLACE.

FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 504,658, dated September 5, 1893.

Application filed February 20. 1893. Serial No. 468,061. (No model.)

To aIZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM M. BLACK, of Urbana, in the county of Ghampaign and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fence-Posts, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in fence posts, and has for its object to provide a post especially adapted for use as a corner post or a gate post, and to construct the post in such mannerthatit maybe firmly anchored and be capable of adjustment in direction of any side.

Another object of the invention is to provide a post especially adapted for use in connection with wire fences, wherein the post will be firmly braced against any tension that may be brought to bear upon it by stretching of the wires, and wherein also, should the wires become to any degree slackened and devices are not at hand for bringing the wires under proper tension, the operation may be in a measure accomplished by the adjustment of the post, the adjusting mechanism whereby this result is accomplished being especially adapted for plumbing or lining up the post.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is side elevation of the improved post. Fig. 2 is an inner face view thereof; and Fig. 3 is aplan view of the improved post.

In carrying out the invention the entire post is ordinarily made of metal, although portions of it may be made of wood if in practice it is found desirable. The main bodyA of the post is of metal, and may be made of any desired height. Ordinarily this main portion of the body of the post is practically U- shaped in cross section, as shown in Fig. 3.

The lower end of the main body A of the post is bolted securely between and to two anchor tie plates 10 and 11, which plates are angle plates, being preferably essentially L- shaped in crosssection. These anchor plates are adapted to be brought quite close together at their outer ends, and at their front ends they are bolted or otherwise secured to a base plate 12, which is also preferably an angle plate, the attachment being effected with the lower or horizontal member thereof, as shown in Fig. 3. The vertical member of the base plate 12 stands in front of and crosses the inner face of the body or main section Act the post. Ordinarily tie rods 13, are attached to the side faces of the main or body section A, near the upper portion of the post, and the said tie rods are carried downward through openings in the outer ends of the base plate, the lower ends of the tie rods 13, being provided with nuts, While a bolt and nut may be employed to effect the connection between the upper portion of the post and the upper extremities of the said tie rods.

Tie plates are secured to the side surfaces of the main body A of the post, the tie plates being arranged in sets. Any desired number of sets of tie plates may be employed, their number being usually regulated by the height of the post. In posts of ordinary height four sets of tie plates are used, an upper set designated as 14, a lower set designated as 15 and two intermediate sets 16 and 17. The upper and next to the lower set of tie plates are practically and preferably of the same length, and these two sets are much longer than the other two. The next shorter set is the set 16, located between the upper set 14 and the lower intermediate set 17, while the lowest set of tie plates 15 is the shortest of all.

Truss plates '18, arranged in pairs, are secured at their upper ends between the upper set of tie plates adjacent to the main or body post A; the said truss plates are then carried downward diagonally or with an inclination outward,and are secured between the upper intermediate set of tie plates 16 and the lower intermediate set of plates 17, the attachments being made at the outer ends of the plates. A second and shorter set of truss plates 19 is secured, each plate at its upper end, between the lower of the intermediate tie plates 17, and at their lower ends to a lowermost set of tie plates 15. Thus a perfect truss is formed, bracing and staying the body post A from top to bottom; and in order that the post may he further strengthened against pressure upon all sides a third set of truss plates 20 is attached, each truss at its upper end, to the sides of the body post A, preferably at its junction with the upper intermediate set of tie plates 16, and this third set of truss plates is carried upward and downward, the lower end portions being secured to the outer ends of the lower of the intermediate tie plates 17, bolts or rivets being employed for that purpose.

When the post is to be used as a gate post, in addition to serving as a post for a panel of awire fence, a bar 21, which maybe termed a sub-post, is in that event secured between the outer ends of the upper setof tie plates 14 and the corresponding ends of the lower intermediate set of tie plates 17, as shown in Fig. 1. The sub-post will then extend vertically nearly the length of the body post A and parallel therewith, as when the post is placed in the ground the ground line is adapted to be located at the upper edge of the lower intermediate set of tie plates 17, as is likewise shown in Fig. 1. Thus it will be observed that both the sub-post and body post extend from the ground upward, and it is also evident that the anchor tie plates will be considerably beneath the surface of the ground; and in order that the post may he braced against the tension of the wires to be connected with it, and also in order that its upper end may be carried out in a manner to stretch the wires, a tie rod 22, is attached at one of its ends between the outer or rear ends of the anchor tie plates 10 and 11, the said tie rod 22, being passed upward into the post and through a bearing block 23, resting transversely to the post upon the ground set of tie plates 17, the upper end of the tie rod being threaded and provided with a suitable adjusting or look nut.

Sometimes it is desirable to anchor the post more securely than could be eifected by the use of the anchor tie plates only. In that event sub anchor plates 24., are located between the ends of the base plate 12 and the rear or outer ends of the anchor tie plates 10 and 11, the sub-anchor plates being connected with the anchor plates above them by means of tie rods 25, which are secured to the anchor plates at their upper and lower ends either by means of bolts and washers or equivalent fastening devices.

It is evident that a post such as has been above described is exceedingly durable and at the same time economic, and that it will withstand the strain or tension of any wire panel it may be adapted to carry; also that in the event that the post should sag in the direction of the ends of the panel, or in the direction of either side, it may be properly and expeditiously adjusted. The wires constituting a panel may be secured to the post in any approved manner; ordinarily, apertures 26, are made in the body portion A of the post, through which the wires may be passed to connect with any form of tension device.

The rod 22 is intended to be used princr pally to adjust the post before and after it is secured in the earth; for example, should the excavation for seating the post be uneven or should the wire in course of time set the post forward out of plumb, the adjusting rod may be manipulated to restore the post to its proper position.

Having thus described my inventlon, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A fence post, the same comprising a body post, a base to which the lower end of the body post is secured, anchor tie plates extending from the base plate at either side of the body post, trusses located at one side of the body post, and an adjusting device connecting the trusses with the anchor tie plates, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a fence post, the combination, with a base, and anchor tie plates attached to the base forming essentially a T, and a post secured between the anchor tie plates at their junction with the base, of trusses located at one side of the body post, an adjusting block supported by the trusses, and an adjusting rod connecting the outer ends of the tie plates with the adjusting block in the trusses, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a fence post, the combination, with a base, of essentially T-shape, the shank portion of the T comprising two spaced members, and a body post secured to the base between the members of the shank section, of trusses located upon one side of the body post, ad- 3' usting devices connecting the outer extremities of the shank section of the base with the trusses near the ground line of the latter, and sub-anchor plates pendent from the base near the end portions thereof, as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a fence post, the combination, with a base of essentially T-shape, a body post secured to the base at the junction of its members, and a truss formed at one side of the body post, of a sub-post supported by the truss structure, essentially parallel with the body post, and an adjusting device connecting both the truss, the sub-post and the main body post with the base, as and for the purpose set forth.

WILLIAlWI M. BLACK.

Witnesses:

E. E. CHENEY, O. B. HEISERMAN. 

